California Flashcards
2 sub AVAs of Sonoma Coast AVA
Fort Ross Seaview AVA
Petaluma Gap AVA
Where is Fort Ross Seaview AVA and what can you tell me about it?
Sonoma County - Sub AVA of Sonoma Coast AVA - mountainous, high elevation near the Pacific
Where is Green Valley AVA and what is it known for?
sub AVA of RRV - PN and Chard - consistent fog due to proximity to Petaluma Gap lengthens growing season - low fertility sandy soils known as Goldridge
What is Goldridge
very low-fertility sandstone; produces concentrated grapes
Where is Chalk Hill AVA and what is it known for?
sub AVA of RRV - takes name from white volcanic soils - Chard and SB
Important AVAs of Mendocino County
Mendocino (catch-all)
Anderson Valley (chard, pn, sparklers)
Mendocino Ridge - “Islands in the Sky” 1200 ft+ covers the peaks that reach above the fog line
Cole Ranch AVA - smallest AVA in USA
Lake County’s soils
young volcanic soils
Lake County is known for _____ elevation
high; avg elevation is 1500 ft
What is special about Lake County?
purest air quality in California; solar potential is maximized; results in grapes w/ thicker skins
Lead grape of Lake County
Cab Sauv
Monterey County important AVAs and grapes grown
Monterey AVA - catch-all
Santa Lucia Highlands - cool - PN and Chard
Arroyo Seco - cool - PN and Chard
Chalone - cool - PN and Chard
Hames Valley - warm - CS + Rhone varieties
San Lucas- warm- CS + Rhone Varieties
Where is Chalone AVA and what is special about it?
cool climate AVA of Monterey County - soils very similar to Burgundy
this county is directly south of Santa Cruz
Monterey
This AVA is situated on the edge of the Templeton Gap - a channel in the Santa Lucia Mountains that draws cool air inland
York Mountain
Where is Arroyo Grande Valley AVA? What grapes?
SLO county - cooler climate - PN and Chard
t/f: Santa Barbara county is north of LA
true
What is Alisos Canyon AVA known for?
“Goldilocks Rhone Zone” - perfect climate for Rhone Varities - Santa Barbara County
Name the 7 AVAs of Santa Barbara County
Santa Maria AVA
Santa Ynez AVA
Ballard Canyon AVA
The Los Olivos District AVA
Sta. Rita Hills AVA
The Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA
The Alisos Canyon AVA
What is Ballard Canyon AVA known for?
Santa Barbara County - spicy reds from Syrah and Grenache
55% of California’s grape acreage is planted here
Central Valley
Lodi AVA is just east of this major city
SF
This area of the Central Valley is uniquely suited to quality wine prodction. Name the AVA and why?
Lodi AVA - Lodi is cooled by winds coming off the Pacific thru the Golden Gate (gap in Coast Range)
Name Lodi’s 7 sub AVAs
Alta Mesa
Borden Ranch
Clements Hills
Consumnes River
Jahant
Mokelumne River
Sloughhouse
What is Bechthold Vineyard famous for and where is it located?
Lodi - some of the world’s oldest plantings of Cinsault
Sierra Foothills AVA is primarily devoted to red varieties, particularly ….
Zinfandel
Where is the Malibu Coast AVA?
just north of LA
origins of “fume blanc”
marketing term created in 1960s by Dry Creek Vineyard - lated adopted and popularized by Robert Mondavi
Inland Mendocino County is known for high quality _____
Zinfandel
this grape underwent a quality revolution in 2010s in Napa Valley
Sauvignon Blanc
Why are grapes from Mt Vineyards different than valley floor vineyards? (Napa specifically)
Mt vineyards are above fog line- they receive more sunlight
stronger diurnal shifts due to elevation
soil on the mountains is infertile and shallow; smaller berries
What is Howell Mountain AVA known for?
hotter and drier than most the rest of Napa Valley; shallow, rocky, volcanic soils; massive tannins
What is the source of Diamond Mountain District AVA’s name
volcanic ash soils that contain shards of shiny & reflective volcanic glass that looks like diamonds
Central Valley is the source of __% of Cali’s wine
75
South Coast AVA covers the land between these two cities
LA and San Diego
North Coast AVA includes these counties
Mendocino, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Marin
Lead grape of Sonoma County
Chardonnay